Therapeutic textile articles and methods of use

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to therapeutic articles comprised of carbonaceous blend textile materials comprising yarns having about 25 to 100 weight % carbonaceous fiber and about 0 to 75 weight % fiber made of polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA), and combinations thereof, or other fibers not listed that are capable of being made into yarn and textile fabrics that are knit, woven, or nonwoven, and wherein the fabric has a weight from about 3 oz/yd2 to about 20 oz/yd2. Also encompassed within this invention is a method for using therapeutic textile articles having carbonaceous blend textile materials of the present disclosure for treatment of humans and animals with developmental neurological disorders, central nervous system disorders, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, pain management, and diabetes.

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) fromU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/530,626, filed Jul. 10,2017 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/651,953 filedApr. 3, 2018, the entirety of the foregoing applications being herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to therapeutic articles, such asclothing, blankets, wraps, etc., constructed using a nonconductivecarbonaceous fiber blend textile and methods of treatment of humans andanimals using such therapeutic articles.

BACKGROUND

Many adults and children suffer with Sensory Processing Disorder (alsoknown as “sensory integration dysfunction”), autistic spectrum disorders(also known as “Pervasive Development Disorders (PDDs)), attentiondeficit disorders (ADD), including attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, emotional and behavioral disorders,sensory-based learning disorders, and other medical disorders includingbut not limited to central nervous system disorders, autoimmunedisorders, cardiovascular disease, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders,pain management, and diabetes. Treatment for such disorders andconditions meets with varying degrees of success and may produceundesirable side effects and/or unintended consequences.

For example, anxiety can be a serious problem for many people on theautism spectrum, and such anxiety can take the form of one or moredisorders, including panic disorder and phobias. Currently, medicationsare generally unavailable which have been approved by the Federal DrugAdministration (FDA) expressly for the treatment of anxiety in children,adolescents, and adults with autism. However, certain therapies existfor treatment of children with autism, including Applied BehaviorAnalysis (ABA). ABA therapy typically systematically appliesinterventions based on learning theory to improve socially significantbehaviors. While ABA may improve the abilities of children with autismto learn and develop, in certain cases, it may not be fully effective,especially with regard to young children who may not be able toeffectively express their feels of anxiety. Anxious children, forexample, may insist on even more routines, have more trouble sleeping,have “meltdowns” or temper tantrums, avoid or withdraw from socialsituations, rely more on rituals and obsessions, stimulate themselves byrocking, spinning or flapping hands, and/or engage in self-harm by headbanging, biting, or scratching.

In cases where a child or adult with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)experiences a multitude of sensory challenges, sensory processingintegration issues, or sensory processing disorder (SPD), issues mayarise with temperature regulation. A person with autism may not be ableto adequately adapt to changing temperatures and/or may not feeltemperatures in the way a neuro-typical person does. Accordingly, livingwith temperature regulations issues can put such a person in a constantstate of discomfort, including hypersensitivity to hot and coldtemperatures, which may make physical activities more dangerous.Further, in cases where a person has a lack of sensitivity to hot andcold temperatures, such condition may also make physical activities moredangerous.

A significant number of children with ASD are thought to have clinicallysignificant symptoms of ADD/ADHD, and such incidents may besignificantly higher than the incidents in the general population. ADHDmay be characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels ofinattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity. Autistic children withADD/ADHD may face greater impairments and have more difficulty learningand socializing as compared to children with ASD only. Given ASD may becharacterized by impairments in communication, social reciprocity, andrepetitive behaviors, when the combined symptoms of ADD/ADHD remainuntreated, positive outcomes are decreased.

It has been estimated that between forty and eighty percent of childrenwith autism have difficulty sleeping. Sensory issues may add to sleepdisturbances common to children with autism, and some research indicatesthat for children with autism, there is a connection between lack ofsleep, aggression, hyperactivity, increased behavior problems, and poorlearning. Further, the lack of a good night's sleep can affect not onlythe child, but others in the child's family and/or immediate care group.

Moreover, certain people with autism are able to tolerate extreme coldand seem relatively insensitive to pain. Paradoxically, they mayexperience pain from idiosyncratic sources that may not bother aneuro-typical person, but struggle to communicate it. It is thought thatsensory challenges may affect up to 70% of people with autism, and incertain research, sensory sensitivity may be more strongly associatedwith pain than anxiety. Children hypersensitive to sounds, smell,tactile and other stimuli may tend to have more abdominal pain at theoutset, and may also be likely to develop new abdominal pain. Unable toexpress themselves, some children may turn their frustration outward, oreven inward against themselves. Some evidence seems to indicate that thevery behaviors interpreted as high tolerance to pain, such as headbanging or hand biting, may in fact be signs that the individual is inagony.

Thus, improved treatment techniques, articles and methods for treatingdevelopmental neurological conditions and other conditions are desired.

SUMMARY

In light of the foregoing discussion, the present invention relatesgenerally to therapeutic wearable textile articles, such as clothing,and other articles for placing on or against a patient (which could behuman or animal), such as blankets, sheets, bedding, wraps, etc.,constructed using nonconductive, nonactivated carbonaceous fiber blendtextiles and methods of treatment of patients using such therapeutictextile material and articles.

Generally, an implementation of the present disclosure includes a methodof treatment of a patient having a developmental neurological disorder,including providing a textile article comprising a carbonaceous fiberblend textile material, and at least partially covering the patient witha textile article comprising a carbonaceous fiber blend textile materialin order to yield a therapeutic benefit to the patient. Morespecifically, the method may include the carbonaceous fiber blendtextile material comprising yarns including about 25 to 100 weight %nonconductive, nonactivated carbonaceous fiber and about 0 to 75 weight% fiber made from a group consisting of polyester, nylon, rayon,lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid,modacrylic, novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose, polyvinylchloride, antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO),polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA). Another implementationof the method could include the carbonaceous fiber blend textilematerial comprising fibers capable of being made into yarn and knit,woven, or used in nonwovens, and wherein the carbonaceous fiber blendtextile material has a weight from about 3 oz/yd² to about 20 oz/yd².

In another implementation of the present disclosure, a textile articleis provided suitable for use in treating a patient having adevelopmental neurological disorder. Such textile article comprises acarbonaceous fiber blend textile material comprises yarns consistingessentially of about 25 to 100 weight % nonactivated carbonaceous fiberand about 0 to 75 weight % fiber made from a group consisting ofpolyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo,m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine, regeneratedcellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA),wherein the carbonaceous fiber blend textile material comprises fiberscapable of being made into yarn and knit, woven, or used in nonwovens,and wherein the carbonaceous fiber blend textile material has a weightfrom about 3 oz/yd² to about 20 oz/yd².

In another implementation of the present disclosure, method is disclosedfor treating a user with a neurological disorder, comprising providing atextile article including 5 to 100 weight % carbonaceous fiber, and 0 to75 weight % blending fiber; at least partially covering the user withthe textile article; absorbing with the textile article convective andradiant energy generated by the user; and emitting back to the user fromthe textile article at least 50% of convective and radiant energyreceived from the user when the textile article is in proximate contactwith the user, wherein the emitted energy is in the far infraredspectrum, and, wherein the emitted energy provides a therapeutic benefitto the user. In another implementation, the method further includes thecarbonaceous fiber being an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber thatabsorbs convective and radiant energy generated by the user, andresponsively emits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum,and, optionally, wherein the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber is about30 to 70 weight %, and the blending fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %.

A further implementation includes a method wherein the carbonaceousfiber is an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective andradiant energy from an environment, and responsively emits the absorbedenergy in the far infrared spectrum.

A further implementation may include the blending fiber being an apparelfiber comprising polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool,silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine,regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber,poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI),polysulphonamide (PSA), or any combination thereof, and optionally,further comprising evaporating moisture present between the user and thetextile article using the emitted energy and/or wherein the neurologicaldisorder is autism and/or wherein the neurological disorder is pediatricautism.

Yet another implementation includes a method of controlling and reducingnet perspiration demand of a user comprising providing a textile articlehaving 25 to 100 weight % carbonaceous fiber, and 0 to 75 weight %blending fiber; at least partially covering the user with the textilearticle; and emitting back to the user from the textile article at least50% of convective and radiant energy received from the user by thetextile article in the form of far infrared energy when the textilearticle is in proximate contact with the user; and evaporating moisturepresent between the user and the textile article with the emittedenergy. Such method may include the carbonaceous fiber being an oxidizedpolyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective and radiant energygenerated by the user, and responsively emits the generated energy inthe far infrared spectrum and/or the carbonaceous fiber being anoxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective and radiantenergy from an environment, and responsively emits the absorbed energyin the far infrared spectrum. Another implementation includes thecarbonaceous fiber being an oxidized polymeric fiber and is about 30 to70 weight %; and the blending fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %.

In another implementation of the present disclosure, the blending fiberis an apparel fiber comprising polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell,cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic,novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride,antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO),polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA), or any combinationthereof.

A further implementation includes a textile article suitable for use intreating a user having a neurological disorder, the textile articlecomprising 25 to 100 weight % carbonaceous fiber; and 0 to 75 weight %blending fiber. Such textile article could include the carbonaceousfiber being an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convectiveand radiant energy generated by the user, and responsively emits theabsorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum and/or wherein thecarbonaceous fiber is an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbsconvective and radiant energy from an environment, and responsivelyemits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum and/or whereinthe carbonaceous fiber is an oxidized polymeric fiber and is about 30 to70 weight %; and the blending fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %.Optionally, the textile article includes the blending fiber being anapparel fiber comprising polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose,wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid,melamine, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber,poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI),polysulphonamide (PSA), or any combination thereof. In a still furherimplementation, the neurological disorder is autism and/or pediatricautism.

In another implementation, the textile article emits at least 50% ofconvective and radiant energy absorbed from the user when the textilearticle is in proximate contact with the user and/or the emitted energyis in the far infrared spectrum. Optionally, the textile article fibersare combinable into yarn and knit, woven, or nonwoven forms, and whereinthe textile article has a fabric weight from about 3 oz/yd² to about 20oz/yd².

Additional information concerning the formation and use of nonactivatedcarbonaceous fibers is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application PublicationNos. 20110104466 (published May 5, 2011) and 20160053411 (published Feb.25, 2016) of Atkinson, both being entitled, “Blended Fiber Yarns andFabrics Including Oxidized Polymeric Fibers;” in U.S. Pat. No. 7,223,376(issued May 29, 2007), to Panter, et al., entitled, “Apparatus andMethod for Making Carbon Fibers”; in U.S. Pat. No. 8,652,975 (issuedFeb. 18, 2014), to Atkinson, et al., entitled, “Flame Resistant Fabric”;in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20110016618 (published Jan.27, 2011) of Li, et al., entitled, “Protective Garment System HavingActivated Carbon Composite with Improved Absorbency;” in U.S. Pat. No.5,700,573 (issued Dec. 23, 1997) of McCullough, entitled, “FlexibleBiregional Carbonaceous Fiber, Articles Made from BiregionalCarbonaceous Fibers, and Method of Manufacture;” and in U.S. Pat. No.5,837,626 (issued Nov. 17, 1998), also of McCullough, entitled,“Ignition Resistant or Fire Blocking Composite,” the entirety of theforegoing U.S. patents and patent applications being hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

More specifically, the present invention is directed to the developmentof textile articles for adults and children with Sensory ProcessingDisorder (also known as “sensory integration dysfunction”), autisticspectrum disorders (also known as “Pervasive Development Disorders(PDDs)), attention deficit disorders (ADD), including attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, emotional andbehavioral disorders, sensory-based learning disorders, and otherdevelopmental neurological disorders.

Generally, one implementation of the present disclosure includes use oftextile articles including yarns that naturally absorb and return to thebody of the wearer the wearer's own healing and calming far infraredenergy (FIR). Invisible to the naked eye, far infrared energy is foundat the opposite end of the visible light spectrum from ultraviolet (UV)energy and is believed to promote good health. Humans absorb safe,healing far infrared energy from the sun (FIG. 6). The healing rays heatthe muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, and this heating can result inbenefits such as pain relief, reduced anxiety, and restful sleep.

Documented benefits of FIR by the National Institute of Health (NIH)include anxiety reduction, fatigue reduction, pain management, fasterhealing, improved sleep, cancer cell inhibition, cellulite reduction,detoxification, strengthening the immune system, anti-aging, andimproved cardiac and vascular function. See, for example the researchresults found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3699878/,the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Far infrared energy also promotes creation of nitric oxide. The actionof nitric oxide was not discovered until about 1991. Subsequently, threePharmacologists, Robert F. Furchgott, Louis J. Ignarro, and Ferid Muradwon the Nobel Prize in 1996 for “for their discoveries concerning nitricoxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.” See, forexample, the research results found at “The Nobel Prize in Physiology orMedicine 1998,” Nobelprize.org, Nobel Media AB 2014, Web. 10 Jul. 2017,http://www.nobelprize.org/nobelprizes/medicine/laureates/1998/, theentirety of the foregoing research being hereby incorporated herein byreference.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) by University of California-Davis found that children with autismoften show the inability to produce cellular energy as compared tochildren without autism. The study also found that cumulative damage andoxidative stress in mitochondria, the body's life sustaining process andcell energy producer, can affect both the arrival and difficulty ofautism, leading to a strong statistical relation between autism andmitochondrial defects. Far infrared energy for individuals with autismimproves the body's ability to trigger the release of nitric oxide (NO)from the endothelial lining of the blood vessels. Nitric oxide helpspreserve blood-vessel elasticity and enhances blood circulation. Thishas significant implications, because optimal blood circulation is a keyfactor for healing numerous health issues, but also especially forpeople with autism. See, for example the research results found atJournal of the American Medical Association, “How Infrared Therapy HelpsChildren With Autism,” Oct. 16, 2015,http://jama.jamanetwork.com/journal.aspx (See alsohttps://healthmatesauna.com/how-infrared-therapy-helps-children-with-autism/);University of California—Davis Health System; “Children with autism havemitochondrial dysfunction, study finds”, ScienceDaily, 30 Nov. 2010,www.science daily.com/releases/2010/11/101130161521.htm; Harrison J.,Can far-infrared-sauna therapy benefit individuals on the autismspectrum?, Harrison J.; Health Freedom News, Winter 2012, pp. 15-17,http://www.thenhf.com/article?id=3620; Dr. Rachel West,http://www.drrachelwest.com/conditions/autism/; Cipolla M J. TheCerebral Circulation, Chapter 5 Control of Cerebral Blood Flow, SanRafael (Calif.): Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences; 2009,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53082/; and Antosova, Martina,Plevkova, Jana; Strapokova, Anna, and Buday, Tomas, “NitricOxide—Important Messenger in Human Body, Open Journal of Molecular andIntegrative Physiology, 2012, 2, 98-106, the entirety of the foregoingresearch results being hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Cerebral hypo-perfusion is simply decreased blood flow to the brain(FIG. 7), and numerous medical studies have demonstrated cerebralhypo-perfusion in children with autism. The diminished blood flow can beseen with a correlation to many core autistic symptoms/behaviors. Forexample, when the thalamus has hypo-perfusion, the results arerepetitive, self-stimulatory, and unusual behaviors may be presented byindividuals with autism.

Additionally, bones and tissues of the body use conduction, convection,evaporation, and radiation to move the heat energy outward (FIG. 8).

In one implementation of the present disclosure, textile materialincludes functional fibers and/or yarns consisting essentially of about25 to 100 weight % nonactivated, nonconductive, fire resistantcarbonaceous fiber and about 0 to 75 weight % fiber made of polyester,nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid,p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose,polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)(PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA), and combinationsthereof, or other fibers not listed that are capable of being made intoyarn and textile fabrics that are knit, woven, or used in nonwovens, andwherein the fabric has a weight from about 3 oz/yd² to about 20 oz/yd².

A working theory as to the efficacy of treating symptoms of autism withcarbonaceous fiber blend textile material appears to be that at leastone implementation of carbonaceous fiber blend textile materialregulates patient body temperature by reflecting perhaps up toapproximately 90% of the body's radiant energy.

Fabrics made from these yarns exhibit a combination of properties thatmake them have been shown in limited testing to be strongly preferred bywearers, particularly compared to fabrics without carbonaceous fibers.More particularly, in addition to inherent temperature regulationproperties, these novel yarns yield fabrics capable of reflecting thebody's radiant energy stimulating blood flow that induces calmingeffects, pain relief, and behavior changes especially with thoseindividuals on the autism spectrum or sensory processing spectrum.Positive behavior changes for individuals on the autism spectrum orsensory processing spectrum observed include, but are not limited to:reduced anxiety; improved calm; reduced meltdowns; reduced aggression;improved sleep; improved comfort in sports and other physicalactivities; reduced danger of hypothermia and hyperthermia; improvedfocus and concentration; reduce pain sensitivity; reduced self-harmingbehaviors; improved Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and learning; and/orimproved communication.

Implementations of the present disclosure include attractive,comfortable, and sensory-friendly garments, namely, shirts, pants, andunderwear, and also sensory-friendly sleepwear for children and adults.Implementations also include blankets, such as medical, personal, andveterinary blankets in a wide range of sizes and weights, includingwithout limitation blankets for infant care, medical care, and home use,and veterinary applications for blankets and surgery. Additional morespecific implementations include clothing for athletics, military,emergency personnel, search and rescue personnel, hunting, skiing, dailywear, patient care bandages and garments, outwear including coats,gloves, and hats, etc.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the current invention willoccur to those skilled in the art. Thus, while the invention will bedescribed and disclosed in connection with certain preferredimplementations and procedures, such implementations and procedures arenot intended to limit the scope of the current invention. Rather, it isintended that all such alternative embodiments, procedures, andmodifications are included within the scope and spirit of the presentdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described exemplary aspects of the disclosure in generalterms, various objects, features, and attendant advantages of thedisclosed concepts will become more fully appreciated as the samebecomes better understood when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, inwhich like reference characters designate the same or similar partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of various examples of implementations ofarticles of clothing as discussed herein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an example implementation of a blanket asdiscussed herein;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example implementation of a textile asdiscussed herein;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an example of implementations of medicalarticles as discussed herein; and

FIG. 5 is an image of forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging ofclothing articles exposed to sunlight emitting varying amounts of FIR,with clothing article A2 being made from fabric made in accordance withthe present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a diagramatic representation of various ultraviolet energycharacterizations;

FIG. 7 is a diagramatic representation of components of the brain; and

FIG. 8 is a diagramatic representation of the conduction, convention,evaporation, and radiation of energy outward from the body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Carbonaceous fiber blend textile articles are provided which havetherapeutic properties for use in connection with treatment of, amongother conditions and diseases, developmental neurologic disorders, whichare created without significantly compromising the textile hand (orfeel) of the textile or the surface appearance of the textile.

The textile, or fabric, of the current invention can be formed fromfibers such as synthetic fibers, natural fibers, or combinationsthereof. Synthetic fibers include, for example, polyester, acrylic,polyamide, polyolefin, polyaramid, polyurethane, regenerated cellulose,and blends thereof. Natural fibers include, for example, wool, cotton,flax, and blends thereof.

The fabric can be formed from fibers or yarns of any size, includingmicrodenier fibers and yarns (fibers or yarns having less than onedenier per filament). Furthermore, the fabric may be partially or whollycomprised of multi-component or bi-component fibers or yarns which maybe splittable along their length by chemical or mechanical action. Thefabric may be comprised of fibers such as staple fiber, filament fiber,spun fiber, or combinations thereof.

The fabric of the present disclosure may be of any variety, includingbut not limited to, woven fabric, knitted fabric, nonwoven fabric, orcombinations thereof. They may optionally be colored by a variety ofdyeing techniques, such as high temperature jet dyeing with dispersedyes, thermosol dyeing, pad dyeing, transfer printing, screen printing,or any other technique that is common in the art for comparable,equivalent, traditional textile products. If yarns or fibers are treatedby the process of the current invention, they may be dyed by suitablemethods prior to fabric formation, such as, for instance, by packagedyeing or solution dyeing, or after fabric formation as described above,or they may be left undyed.

One potentially preferred, non-limiting yarn is in one implementation ofthe present disclosure, includes textile material having functionalfibers and/or yarns consisting essentially of about 25 to 100 weight %nonconductive, nonactivated, fire resistant carbonaceous fiber and about0 to 75 weight % fiber made of polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell,cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic,novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride,antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO),polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA), and combinationsthereof, or other fibers not listed that are capable of being made intoyarn and textile fabrics that are knit, woven, or used in nonwovens, andwherein the fabric has a weight from about 3 oz/yd² to about 20 oz/yd².

If a dyed fabric is desired, dyeing may be accomplished by any techniqueknown to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, by solutiondyeing the fiber used to make the fabric, dyeing the formed fabric in ajet dye machine, dyeing the foimed fabric using a continuous processdyeing range, or any combination thereof. Additionally, the fabric mayalso be subjected to various face-finishing processes prior to screenprinting. In one aspect of the present invention, the process of thecurrent invention requires no special equipment; standard textileequipment may be employed.

Implementations of the present disclosure include comfortable andsensory friendly garments, such as shirts S, pants P, and underwear U,coats C, headwear H, masks and balaclavas M, jackets J, gloves G, socksSX, and also sensory friendly sleepwear SW for children and adults (FIG.1). Implementations also include blankets B (FIG. 2), such as medical,personal, and veterinary blankets in a wide range of sizes and weights,such as: blankets for infants care, medical care, and home use; andveterinary applications for blankets and surgery. Additional morespecific implementations include of carbonaceous fiber blend material CF(FIG. 3) of the present disclosure could include clothing for athletics,hunting, skiing, daily wear, patient care blankets BL and bandages BA(FIG. 4) and garments, outwear including coats, gloves, and hats, etc.

The following examples illustrate various embodiments of the presentinvention but are not intended to restrict the scope thereof.

Example

In one non-limiting example, in an independent research study, childrenwith autism ages 2 to 10 years old wore shirts made with textilematerial of the present invention for fifty (50) days. Such textilematerial included 46 weight % polyester, 32 weight % carbonaceous, 14weight % Modal, and 8 weight % elastic polyurethane, such as Lycra.

Teachers and parents of such children observed the following behaviorchanges:

Children found the shirt comfortable 100%  Reduced hyperactivity 66%Improved ability to focus 50% Reduced anxiety 50% Positive impact onchild's behavior 43% Improved ABA responses 33%

In one implementation of textile material of the present disclosure,functional fibers are 100% FIR absorbers and emitters driven by bodyheat internally or the sun externally. Yarn blend ranged from 30% to 70%FIR fibers.

It has been demonstrated that fabric made in accordance with the presentdisclosure emit significantly more FIR than other fabrics, as shown inFIG. 5, wherein the results of comparisons of clothing articles A1, A2,and A3 exposed to sunlight emit varying amounts of FIR, with clothingarticle A2 being made from fabric made in accordance with the presentdisclosure. Note that using a FLIR thermal imaging system, thebrighter/lighter the image appears, the more the FIR emissions, and thatclothing article A2 is noticeably brighter than the other to clothingarticles A1 and A2.

In contrast to conventional wicking fibers, where moisture is drawn fromthe skin and transported to the outer surface of the garment forevaporation, fabrics made from at least one implementation of acarbonaceous fiber blend textile material of the present disclosuredrive evaporation inside the fabric using the body's retained radiantenergy. Once the needed heat has been released, such carbonaceous fiberblend textile material fibers will also use the body's heat todramatically reduce or eliminate “sweat chills”. The effect is thatfabrics made with such carbonaceous fiber blend become temperatureregulating and extremely comfortable to wear.

In addition to temperature regulating properties, fabrics made from atleast one implementation of a carbonaceous fiber blend textile materialof the present disclosure also elicit positive responses for medicalconditions impacted by surface blood flow. Documentation supports thebenefits of compression that mechanically stimulates the surfacevascular system. Fabrics made from at least one implementation of acarbonaceous fiber blend textile material of the present disclosure mayalso stimulate the surface vascular system. With or without compression,such fabrics improve vascular circulation and increase comfort.

In at least one example, fabrics made from at least one implementationof a carbonaceous fiber blend textile material of the present disclosurehave had a positive impact on the physiology and behavior of individualswith Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADD/ADHD, diabetes, andmenopause. A working hypothesis or theory is that the body's radiantenergy, specifically far infrared wavelengths between 6 and 14 microncomponent, is redirected back into the dermis resulting in an increasein venal stimulation resulting in physiological and behavioralresponses. Increasing overall blood flow and improving circulationincreases in blood flow to the brain to reduce cerebral hypoperfusion.Cerebral hypoperfusion is simply decreased blood flow to the brain (FIG.7). There have been numerous studies in the medical literaturedemonstrating hypoperfusion in children with autism. With newer upgradedbrain-imaging cameras, detecting hypoperfusion in children with autismcontinues to become more defined. The diminished blood flow can be seenwith a clear correlation to many core autistic symptoms/behaviors. Forexample, when the thalamus has hypoperfusion the results are repetitive,self-stimulatory, and unusual behaviors presented by individuals withAutism. Garments of the present disclosure create a uniquemicro-environment between the skin and the fabric. In thismicro-environment, the energy from the body is transmitted byevaporation, convection, radiation, and conduction as noted in FIG. 8.

The temperature of the patient's body is regulated in part by neuralfeedback mechanisms, which operate primarily through the hypothalamus.The hypothalamus contains not only the control mechanisms, but also keytemperature sensors. Under control of these mechanisms, sweatingtypically begins almost precisely at a skin temperature of 37° C. andincreases rapidly as the skin temperature rises above this value. Theheat production of the body under these conditions remains almostconstant as the skin temperature rises. If the skin temperature dropsbelow 37° C. a variety of responses are initiated to conserve the heatin the body and to increase heat production. These include:vasoconstriction to decrease the flow of heat to the skin; cessation ofsweating; shivering to increase heat production in the muscles; and/orsecretion of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and thyroxine to increase heatproduction.

When the ambient temperature is above body temperature, then radiation,conduction and convection all transfer heat into the body rather thanout. Since this is generally a net outward heat transfer, mechanismsleft under those conditions for cooling include the evaporation ofperspiration from the skin and the evaporative cooling from exhaledmoisture. Even when one is unaware of perspiration, physiology textsquote an amount of about 600 grams per day of “insensate loss” ofmoisture from the skin. The cooling effect of perspiration evaporationmakes use of the very large heat of vaporization of water. This heat ofvaporization is approximately 580 cal/gm at the normal skin temperature.

The basic heat transfer equation for radiation is

$\frac{Q}{t} = {e\;\sigma\;{A\left( {T_{hot}^{4} - T_{cold}^{4}} \right)}}$where A is the area of the human body and e is the emissivity of theskin. In this case, the temperatures are in Kelvin.

Even when inactive, an adult male, for example, loses heat at a rate ofabout 90 watts as a result of his basal metabolism. This becomes aproblem when the ambient temperature is above body temperature, becauseall three standard heat transfer mechanisms work against this heat lossby transferring heat into the body. One's ability to exist in suchconditions comes from the efficiency of cooling by the evaporation ofperspiration. At a temperature of 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit), theevaporation process must overcome the transfer of heat into the body andgive off enough heat to accomplish a 90 watt net outward flow rate ofenergy. Because of the body's temperature regulation mechanisms, theskin temperature would be expected to rise to 37° C. at which pointperspiration is initiated and increases until the evaporation cooling issufficient to hold the skin at 37° C. if possible. With thoseassumptions about the temperatures, the Stefan-Boltzmann law for an areaof 2 m² and emissivity 0.97 gives a net radiant input power of 109 wattsto the body. The perspiration cooling must overcome that and produce thenet outflow of 90 watts for equilibrium. Introducing an implementationof a carbonaceous fiber blend textile material of the present disclosuresignificantly changes the energy dynamics in the latter condition.First, the radiant protection properties will limit the inboundradiation, decreasing the present demand for perspiration. Secondly, theenergy from the micro-environment that exists between the inner textilesurface and the outer surface of the skin created by such carbonaceousfiber blend textile material will drive more efficient perspirationevaporation.

In Table 1 below, the net perspiration demand has been theoreticallyreduced from 207 watts to 102 watts using an implementation of acarbonaceous fiber blend textile material in accordance with the presentdisclosure. The result is a cooler micro-environment and greatercomfort.

TABLE 1 Baseline Instant Carbonaceous Fiber Basal +90 watts +90 wattsRadiation +109 watts +11 watts Convection +8 watts +1 watts Perspiration−207 watts −102 watts

One implementation of a carbonaceous fiber blend textile material of thepresent disclosure includes a relatively high density outer surface,which facilitates the ability of such carbonaceous fiber blend textilematerial to potentially reflect approximately 90+% of convective andradiant energy. This radiant reflection property limits external radiantenergy from penetrating the body as noted above, and, additionally,creates warmth as well by keeping the body's radiant heat in themicro-environment.

In implementations of the present disclosure, fibers have a relativelyhigh percentage of carbon fiber, i.e., 25 weight % to 100 weight %,which is a range exceeding the more typical 1-15 weight %, or, when foranti-static purposes, 1-3 weight %. Additionally, implementations of thepresent disclosure use a carbonaceous fiber blend that is an insulatorand not electrically conductive. In some implementations of acarbonaceous fiber blend textile material of the present disclosureinclude oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPF), and in oneimplementation, the fiber can be Zoltek OX Staple Fiber, sold by ZoltekCorporation of 3101 McKelvey Road, Bridgeton, Mo. 63044, which, from atechnical datasheet of Zoltek, are crimped staple fibers and are:“oxidized/stabilized PAN fibers (OPAN) that are inherently fireresistant, thermally stable, exhibit excellent resistance to chemicalsand solvents and are electrically conductive.” The specifications forZolteck OX fibers are shown in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2 Material Property Standard Density High Density Density 1.37g/cm³ (0.0495 lb/in³) 1.40 g/cm³ (0.0506 lbs/in³) LOI 40%+ 50%+ Fineness1.7 dTex 2.2 dTex  5.0 dTex 2.2 dTex 1.5 denier 2.0 denier 4.5 denier2.0 denier Length 60 mm 50 mm 60 mm 74 mm 80 mm 60 mm 70 mm 2.3 in 2.0in 2.3 in 3.0 in 3.1 in 2.3 in 3.0 in Format Crimp level 7/6 per inch(3.0 per cm) Fiber Properties Chemical Composition (%) ChemicalResistance Density 1.36 g/cc min. Carbon Content 62 Strong Acids GoodDiameter 12.5μ (1.7 dTex) Nitrogen 21.5 Weak Acids Excellent LOI 40%+Oxygen 12 Strong Bases Poor Color Black Hydrogen 4.5 Weak Bases GoodResistivity 8 × 10⁸ ohms-cm Sodium <0.1 Organic Solvents Excellent TraceMetals <0.01

The carbonaceous fiber blend textiles may be incorporated into articlesof clothing, blankets, medical products, bedding, upholstery and anyother article wherein it is desirable to reflect a substantial portionof the body's radiant energy. The carbonaceous fiber blend textiles ofthe present disclosure are engineered to naturally engage FIR energy ata therapeutic level, with a clinically significant increase as comparedto current performance fabrics.

In certain implementations of carbonaceous fiber blends of textilematerial of the present disclosure, yarn blends are 35 to 70 weight %OPF (carbonaceous fiber) blended with typical apparel yarns such asnylon, polyester, cotton, modal, Tencel®, rayon, acrylic or combinationsof these apparel yarns. In one non-limiting implementation, the materialis 35 weight % OPF, 15 weight % Modal, and 50 weight % Pima cotton with8 weight % elastic polyurethane, such as Lycra®. In anotherimplementation, fabric of the present disclosure includes 50 weight %OPF, 25 weight % Nylon, and 25 weight % Tencel®. One implementation ofneedled felt is 70 weight % OPF and 30 weight % polyester.

Implementations of the garments and other articles constructed ofcarbonaceous fiber blends of textile material of the present disclosureare believed to potentially provide benefits to those with neurologicalconditions, such as, acquired brain injury, ataxia, brain tumor,dementia, dystonia, epilepsy, functional and dissociative neurologicalsymptoms, meningitis, motor neurone disease (MND), multiple sclerosis(MS), muscular dystrophy, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), Parkinson'sdisease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Huntington's disease,spina bifida and hydrocephalus, spinal injury, stroke, Tourette Syndrome(TS), and/or transverse myelitis (TM).

Implementations of the garments and other articles constructed ofcarbonaceous fiber blends of textile material of the present disclosurepotentially provide what are believed to be attractive therapeuticclothing for potentially optimizing athletic recovery, reducing pain andinflammation, effectively helping manage the challenges of autism,naturally improving sleep cycles, reducing anxiety, reducing bloodpressure, and/or increasing blood flow to the body, improving livingwith post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

More specifically, with regard to improving athletic recovery, articlesconstructed of carbonaceous fiber blends of textile material of thepresent disclosure potentially increase circulation and metabolicactivity, reduce fatigue increasing stamina, accelerate reduction ofinflammation, accelerate muscle recovery, help flush toxins, improvetemperature regulation, and/or reduce need for pharmaceuticals. And,regarding improving sleep cycles, such articles potentially reduceanxiety, reduce insomnia, lengthen sleep cycles, optimize natural bodytemperature regulation, reduce inflammation, manage pain, and/or educeneed for pharmaceuticals.

Regarding managing the challenges of autism, articles constructed ofcarbonaceous fiber blends of textile material of the present disclosureare potentially responsible for reduced anxiety and aggression, reducedself-injury and meltdowns, reduced risk of hypo/hyperthennia, reducedinappropriate behaviors, improved sleep, reduced pain, and/or reducedneed for pharmaceuticals.

With regard to veterinary applications, articles constructed ofcarbonaceous fiber blends of textile material of the present disclosurepotentially accelerate reduction of inflammation, increase circulationand metabolic activity, reduce stiffness, manage pain, enhance work outrecovery time, optimize natural body temperature regulation, reduce theneed for pharmaceuticals.

One implementation of the present disclosure includes method fortreating a user with a neurological disorder. Such method includesproviding a textile article including 5 to 100 weight % carbonaceousfiber and 0 to 75 weight % blending fiber, and at least partiallycovering the user with the textile article. Further, such methodincludes absorbing, with the textile article, convective and radiantenergy generated by the user and emitting back to the user from thetextile article at least 50% of convective and radiant energy receivedfrom the use, when the textile article is in proximate contact with theuser, resulting in the emitted energy being in the far infraredspectrum, and, wherein the emitted energy provides a therapeutic benefitto the user. Optionally, the carbonaceous fiber of such method may be anoxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective and radiantenergy generated by the user, and responsively emits the absorbed energyin the far infrared spectrum, and, if desired, the oxidizedpolyacrylonitrile fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %, and the blendingfiber is about 30 to 70 weight %.

A further implementation of such method includes the carbonaceous fiberis an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective andradiant energy from an environment, and responsively emits the absorbedenergy in the far infrared spectrum.

A further implementation of the present disclosure may include theblending fiber being an apparel fiber comprising polyester, nylon,rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk, linen, bamboo, m-aramid,p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine, regenerated cellulose,polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)(PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polysulphonamide (PSA), or anycombination thereof. Another implementation of a method of the presentdisclosure may further comprise evaporating moisture present between theuser and the textile article using the emitted energy, wherein theneurological disorder is autism or wherein the pediatric autism.

Another implementation of the present disclosure includes a method ofcontrolling and reducing net perspiration demand of a user, includingthe steps of providing a textile article having 25 to 100 weight %carbonaceous fiber and 0 to 75 weight % blending fiber; at leastpartially covering the user with the textile article; and emitting backto the user from the textile article at least 50% of convective andradiant energy received from the user by the textile article in the formof far infrared energy when the textile article is in proximate contactwith the user; and evaporating moisture present between the user and thetextile article with the emitted energy. Such method may include thecarbonaceous fiber being an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber thatabsorbs convective and radiant energy generated by the user, andresponsively emits the generated energy in the far infrared spectrumand/or the carbonaceous fiber being an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiberthat absorbs convective and radiant energy from an environment, andresponsively emits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum.Another implementation of a method of controlling and reducing netperspiration demand of a user includes the carbonaceous fiber being anoxidized polymeric fiber and is about 30 to 70 weight %; and theblending fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %.

In another implementation of a method of controlling and reducing netperspiration demand of a user, the blending fiber is an apparel fibercomprising polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk,linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine,regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber,poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI),polysulphonamide (PSA), or any combination thereof.

A further implementation of the present disclosure includes a textilearticle suitable for use in treating a user having a neurologicaldisorder. One such implementation includes a textile article comprising25 to 100 weight % carbonaceous fiber and 0 to 75 weight % blendingfiber. Such textile article could in an implementation include thecarbonaceous fiber being an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber thatabsorbs convective and radiant energy generated by the user, andresponsively emits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrumand/or wherein the carbonaceous fiber is an oxidized polyacrylonitrilefiber that absorbs convective and radiant energy from an environment,and responsively emits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum.In another implementation the textile article includes carbonaceousfiber that is an oxidized polymeric fiber and is about 30 to 70 weight%; and the blending fiber is about 30 to 70 weight %. Optionally, thetextile article includes the blending fiber being an apparel fibercomprising polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool, silk,linen, bamboo, m-aramid, p-aramid, modacrylic, novoloid, melamine,regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, antistatic fiber,poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO), polybenzimidazole (PBI),polysulphonamide (PSA), or any combination thereof. In a still furtherimplementation, the neurological disorders to be treated with thetextile article are autism and/or pediatric autism.

In another implementation, the textile article emits at least 50% ofconvective and radiant energy absorbed from the user when the textilearticle is in proximate contact with the user and/or the emitted energyis in the far infrared spectrum. Optionally, the textile article fibersare combinable into yarn and knit, woven, or nonwoven forms, and whereinthe textile article has a fabric weight from about 3 oz/yd² to about 20oz/yd².

Although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describeexample implementations in the context of certain example combinationsof elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that differentcombinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternativeimplementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims.In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/orfunctions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated asmay be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific termsare employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive senseonly and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of treating a patient with autism,comprising: providing a textile article comprising: 30 to 70 weight %carbonaceous fiber; 30 to 70 weight % apparel fiber selected from agroup consisting of polyester, nylon, rayon, lyocell, cellulose, wool,silk, linen, bamboo, regenerated cellulose, modal, elastic polyurethane,or any combination thereof; and at least partially covering the patientwith the textile article by placing the textile article adjacent thepatient's skin; absorbing with the textile article convective andradiant energy generated by the patient; and emitting back to thepatient from the textile article at least 50% of convective and radiantenergy received from the patient when the textile article is adjacentthe patient's skin, and wherein the emitted energy is in the farinfrared spectrum.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceousfiber is an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber that absorbs convective andradiant energy generated by the user, and responsively emits theabsorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the carbonaceous fiber is an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiberthat absorbs convective and radiant energy from an environment, andresponsively emits the absorbed energy in the far infrared spectrum. 4.The method of claim 2, wherein the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber isabout 44 weight %, and the blending fiber is about 56 weight %.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the textile article comprises about 32 weight% carbonaceous fiber and the apparel fiber comprises about 46 weight %polyester fiber, about 14 weight % modal fiber, and about 8 weight %elastic polyurethane fiber.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thetextile article comprises about 70 weight % carbonaceous fiber and theapparel fiber comprises about 30 weight % polyester fiber.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the apparel fiber includes a combination of cottonfiber, modal fiber, and elastic polyurethane fiber, wherein the cottonfiber is a greater weight % than the modal fiber, and the modal fiber isa greater weight % than the elastic polyurethane fiber.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the apparel fiber includes a combination of lyocellfiber, nylon fiber, and elastic polyurethane fiber.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the autism neurological disorder is pediatric autism.10. A method of treating a patient with autism, comprising: providing atextile article comprising: 30 to 50 weight % carbonaceous fiber; and 50to 70 weight % blending fiber comprising a combination of polyesterfiber, modal fiber, and elastic polyurethane fiber, wherein thepolyester fiber is a greater weight % than the modal fiber, and themodal fiber is a greater weight % than the elastic polyurethane fiber;and at least partially covering the patient with the textile article byplacing the textile article adjacent the patient's skin; absorbing withthe textile article convective and radiant energy generated by thepatient; and emitting back to the patient from the textile article atleast 50% of convective and radiant energy received from the patientwhen the textile article is adjacent the patient's skin, and wherein theemitted energy is in the far infrared spectrum.